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MORE THAN
20,000
READERS WEEKLY
VOLUME 94
Pratt’s Peaches Are An
All-Summer Crop Here
(Editor's Note: The following '
article was printed in The At
lanta Journal and Constitu
tion Magazine, Sunday May
11)
“THIS ORCHARD HAS
PEACHES ALL SUMMER”
By WILLARD NEAL
THE PRATT BROTHERS OF
COVINGTON, GA., PLANTED
EIGHT VARIETIES, SELECT
ED TO RIPEN AT INTERVALS
FROM JUNE UNTIL SEPTEM
BER.
The people of Covington, Ga.,
claim they have the best peach
orchard in Georgia—the only
one they ever heard about that
never runs out of peaches.
Actually the grove oelongs to
the Pratt brothers, Everett and
Money. It contains 2,250 trees,
comprising eight varieties care
fully selected so that they
would ripen alternately from
early June until well into Sep
tember.
It also belongs to Covington,
in that all the 15,000 bushels of
last year’s crop were sold right ।
at the orchard to the people
who came out from town, and ,
to such tourists as drove by '
and got in line.
The orchard is the dream of j
George H. Firor, of Covington, j
retired horticulturist who spent ,
his career with the Georgia ex- ,
tension service.
“We were always hearing
complaints that Georgia raises
more peaches than any other
state, but all the good ones are '
shipped north and home folks
couldn’t buy anything but ‘
culls,” said Mr. Firor. “About
1945 we began urging people
to plant several varieties that
would ripen all summer for
home consumption. However,
commercial growers still found 1
it more economical to stick to a
few types that they could han
dle wholesale.”
When the Pratt brothers de
cided to put peaches on a wide,
rich hilltop, they listened to Mr.
Firor and asked him to lay out
a plan -and teach them how to
grow peaches. They followed
directions in every detail. The
orchard was planted in Jan
uary, 1952, and yielded its first
real crop last summer.
The first peaches, Dixie Reds,
ripened in the middle of June.
Bubba, Everett Pratt’s son, was
out of high school for vacation
so he was put in charge with in
structions to bring out any of
his school-mates he needed.
There were two iron-clad
rules. No peaches were to be
picked until they were fully
ripe, and nobody except Bubba
and his pals were to touch any
peach on the trees.
“If you just rub your finger
over a peach a few days before
it ripens, there will be a rotten
spot,” said Money. “If you pick
Franklin Jones
Succumbs After
Lingering Illness
A. Franklin Jones, 77, of
Mansfield died Wednesday, May
7, in a private hospital after a
lingering illness. Funeral ser
vices for Mr. Jones, who was
born in Jasper County, were
held Thursday afternoon at
Mansfield Methodist Church
with Rev. Walter Murphy, pas
tor of the Skyland Methodist
Church in Atlanta officiating.
He was assisted by Rev. E. W.
Dunnagan, pastor of the Mans
field Methodist Church in con
ducting the services.
Surviving are three sons.
Roger W. Jones, Macon: J. Fred
Jones, Atlanta; Harold S. Jones,
Macon; four daughters, Mrs. H.
C. Thomas, Covington; Mrs.
Nesbit Hooper, Monticello; Mrs.
Ray Henderson, Mansfield;
Mrs. Thomas Chapman, Li
thonia; two brothers, C. H.
Jones, Thomson; H. Grady
Jones, Atlanta; two sisters,
Mrs. C. W. H. Smith, Fitz
gerald; Mrs. L. E. Stone,
Thomson; 34 grandchildren and
10 great-grandchildren.
Interment was in Monticel
lo Cemetery, Monticello, with
J. C. Harwell and Son Funeral
Home in charge of arrange
ments.
The NEWS extends deepest
sympathy to the members of
the bereaved family.
The Covington Enterprise, Established in 1864 — The Covington Star, Established in 1874 and The Citizen-Observer, Established in 1953
I one too early it will ripen, but
I it won’t taste like a real peach.
Furthermore, peaches left on
the tree increase in size by 25
per cent in the last three days
before they become dead ripe,
so it’s good business to let them
grow, and they’re easier to sell
because they are good eating.”
When the first Dixie Reds
blushed crimson and plumped
out smooth and tasty, the Pratt
brothers called some of their
friends to come and get them.
The friends passed the word to
other friends and neighbors,
and cars began to appear at the
orchard about as fast as Bubba
nd his gang could fill their
baskets.
Everett went out to the 4-
lane Atlanta highway with a
sign and an arrow pointing to
tree-ripened peaches at the or
chard, 3 miles —and down a
dirt road, too. A car pulled off
the paving and sat still a few
minutes, then a man stuck his
head through the window and
yelled, “I wish you’d hurry and
get that danged sign up, so I
can see where the orchard is!”
Everett had an idea there was
some law about putting up a
sign on the right-of-way, but
he wasn’t sure how it read. So
he stuck up the notice anyway,
in a temporary fashion so it
could be moved. It stood there
several weeks before anyone
ordered him to take it beyond
the right-of-way limits.
A lot of cars left the paving
and headed down the dirt road,
too. Some days the boys saw li
cense plates from 15 or 20 states.
The road is scheduled to be
paved nearly to the orchard this
spring.
The set-up seemed to be
working perfectly, with buy
ers arriving about as fast as the
peaches were ready for picking.
Then sudden rain came just as
the GolJen Jubilees were rip
ening. This variety doesn’t keep
very long, and the rain would
ripen the whole crop at once.
Everett rushed to the Farmers
Market in Atlanta to ask deal
ers how the surplus should be
handled. He found that the
market price was $6 a bushel,
Graveside Rises
For Infant
Bowman Held
Infant Richard Lewis Bow
man, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cal
vin B. Bowman of Covington,
died at a private hospital on
May 12. Graveside services
were held on Tuesday, May 13,
at Douglasville Cemetery with
Rev. Will Haynie officiating
Besides his parents the young
baby is survived by two broth
ers, Randy Ogle. Eddie Bow
i man, two sisters, Judy Ogle and
Alice Bowman, and grandpar
ents, Mr. and Mrs. George Par
son, Douglasville and Mrs. Rose
Bowman, Anderson, South Car
olina.
The NEWS joins friends in
extending deepest sympathy to
the bereaved family. J. C. Har
well and Son Funeral Home
were in charge of arrangements.
Sub-District Methodist Youth Fellowship Meeting Held
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NEWTON-ROCKDALE SUB-DISTRICT MYF officer* are pictur
ed above at their installation service held recently at the
Covington Mills Methodist Church. They are, front row, left
to right: Miss Pat McCart, president; Adrian Bledsoe, vice presi
dent: Pam Laster, secretary; Wanda BoUoy. tfwawan Shirley
Ruth Hayes, Publicity Chairman; Betty Jae Aiken*, Fwih Chair-
Stye (Unuingtnn Neuis
but the only offer he got was
from a trucker who wanted to
pay $1 at the orchard.
The brothers made a quick
decision. They had a lot of
handbills printed offering
peaches at the bargain price of
$3.50 for three days, and sent
an army of little colored boys
to deliver them all over Cov
ington.
“You never saw such a jam,”
said Money. “Cars were lined
up all the way down the or
chard road and over the hill.
The peaches ripened fast and we
picked fast, and every one of
the Golden Jubilees was gone
by 9 o’clock that night.”
The worst incident of the sea
son took place the next morn
ing. A woman tourist with two
daughters came by, and was
quite disappointed that there
were no peaches. The South
land trees in the next plat were
weighted with rich, golden
fruit, and the woman wanted
to buy them, refusing to be
lieve that the peaches were still
green. Some time later her car
was noticed by the road, empty,
and the boys went on a frantic
search. They found the woman
and girls, with a basket half full
Continued on Page 20
Myrna Warren
Enters Contest
<7? . .'T ’WaRK
* w
MYRNA WARREN
Miss Myrna Warren, crown
ed “Miss Newton County” by
the Junior Chamber of Com
merce recently at the local high
school auditorium, is among 22
entries in the State Beauty
Contest at Columbus which
names the “Miss Georgia of
1958” tomorrow night.
The reigning queens, Miss
America and Miss Georgia, will
be on hand for the annual
event, which will be emceed by
television personality George
Dewitt of “Name That Tune.”
Marilyn Van Dmbur, the cur
rent, Mirs America, will pre
side at the pageant, and Jody
Shattuck, who won her Miss
Georgia title here last year, will
crown the new queen.
A total of $4,500 in cash
awards will go to the winning
contestants.
All 22 of the contestants will
be judged in bathing suit, even
ing dress and talent divisions
during the Friday night event.
In 1918 the base pay of
Navy nurses was increased to
$60.00 per month.
COVINGTON, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1958
Starrsville Flower Show Winners And Judges
V* ’7 *
Ifta- J y j
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JUDGES AND Members of Hays Community Club Flower Show
held Wednesday at the Starrsville Club House are pictured above
with some of the prize winning entries. Left to right are: Mrs.
E. J. Brown, Judge; Mrs. J. H. Anderson, Sweepstakes Winner
and Club 4-H-Advisor; Mrs. Fred Greer, Club 4-H-Advisor:
Hays District Club Held Their
Annual Flower Show Wednesday
Members of the Hays District
Home Demonstration held their
May meeting along with their
annual flower show on Wed
nesday afternoon, May 7, from
3 until 5 o’clock at the club
house.
Mrs. C. O. Benton and Mrs.
J. E. Mann were joint hostesses
for the occasion. The vice pres
ident, Mrs. J. O. Anderson, call
ed the meeting to order and
presided over a short business
session. Mrs. Anderson wel
comed the following visitors:
Mrs. J. E. Brown from Oxford;
Mrs. Henry Odum, Mrs. Mary
Wheeler and Mr. Leo Mallard
of Covington.
Mrs. Hazel Malone announc
ed the state Home Demonstra
tion meeting at Rock Eagle in
June. Also she announced the
Newton County Council meet
ing for June 6, at the Notion
Shop in Covington.
Mrs. Malone gave a helpful
talk and demonstration on yeast
bread making.
At this time Mrs. J. O. An
derson, member of the flower
show committee ,introduced the
judges for the show, Mrs.
Brown, Mrs. Wheeler and Mrs.
Odum.
Many beautiful specimens
and arrangemants were enter
ed in all the various classes.
Mrs. J. H. Anderson was the
sweepstakes winner. The blue
ribbon winners were as follows:
The entire table of pots and
house plants were given blue
ribbons; vegetable arrange
ment, Mrs. J. H. Anderson;
Mass or church arrangement,
Mrs. J. H. Anderson; miniature,
Mrs. A. C. Ewing and Mrs.
D. C. Butler, Jr.; one color
B. Dixon Jr., Mrs. D. C. Butler,
Jr., and Mrs. J. H. Ander
son; candles in the arrange
ment, Mrs. D. B. Dixon, Jr.;
Magie of wood, rock and metal,
Mrs. J. H. Anderson.
On the table arrangements
blue ribbons went to the “morn-
man: and John Knight, Citisenship chairman. BACK ROW, left
io right: Mrs. A. A. Bledsoe, Intermediate Counselor; Wayne
Doster, Fellowship Chairman; Joe Budd, Outlook Chairman;
Rev. Cecil Page, Milstead, Intermediate Counselor; Rev. Walter
Murphy, district director of youth work who was in charge of
the service; Forrest Finley, counselor.
ing coffee” arranged by Mrs.
D. B. Dixon Jr., Mrs. J. H.
Anderson, Mrs. J. H. Kimbrell
and Mrs. J. M. Aiken. Also a
blue ribbon went to the alfresco
table arranged by Mrs. J. O.
Anderson, Mrs. J. E. Mann,
Mrs. Fred Greer and Mrs. Her
man Butler.
In the specimen group blue
ribbon winners were: iris, Mrs.
W. H. Corley Sr., Mrs. D. B.
Dixon Jr. and Mrs. J. H. An
derson. Roses, Mrs. C. C. Epps.
At the close of the meeting
everyone was invited down to
the lovely refreshment table
from which Mrs. J. H. Ander
son served punch. Mrs. J. M.
Aiken and Mrs. D. B. Dixon
assisted in serving delicious in
dividual iced cakes and toasted
nuts.
Newton, Harf
Failed to Stage
Heart Fd. Drive
Six out of the 15 counties
within the Northeast Georgia
Chapter of the Georgia Heart
Association have already either
met or exceeded their goal in
the 1958 Heart Fund Drive,
Tyus Butler of Athens, presi
dent of the Chapter, has an
nounced.
Those red-star counties are
Barrow with Mrs. R. F. Mc-
Combs as chairman, Elbert
with the Pilot Club directing,
Jackson with Miss Betty Joe
Bridges, Greene with Ford
Boston, Walton with the Jun
ior Woman’s Club in charge,
and in Wilkes where Amos
Martin headed the drive.
The two counties in the
Chapter which held no fund
drive this year were Hart and
Mesdames C. C. Epps, Vice-president; J. M. Aiken, Secretary:
J. C. Pope; Hazel Malone, Co. Home Demonstration Agent; W. H.
Corley, J. W. Johnston, A. C. Ewing; and Mrs. Henry Odum, also
a Judge.
Harold Jones, 77
Rises Held Al
Red Oak Church
H. Harold Jones, 77, of Route
1, Covington, died at a private
hospital on Saturday, May 10,
after a short illness. Funeral
services for Mr. Jones, a na
tive of Newton County, were
held Monday afternoon at Red
Oak Methodist Church with
Rev. Daniel Sain, pastor offi
ciating.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs.
Harold Jones, Covington; five
sons, Horace Jones, Covington;
Robert Jones, Furman, Ala
bama; Edgar Jones, Richard
Jones, Covington; James Jones,
Atlanta; one daughter Mrs.
Christine Vaughn, Covington;
nephew, Tom Jones, Covington
and 17 grandchildren and one
great grandchild.
Interment was in Red Oak
Cemetery with J. C. Harwell
and Son Funeral Home in
Charge of arrangements.
The NEWS joins the many
friends of this family in extend
ing deepest sympathy to them
in their bereavement.
Mrs. Deadwyler
Dies at Home
Os Her Sister
Mrs. Frances Lucille Dead
wyler of Mansfield, formerly
of Elberton, died at the home
of her sister, Mrs. G. C. Davis
in Mansfield, Wednesday, May
7. Funeral services were held
at the First Baptist Church in
Elberton on Friday with Rev.
Bryan Robinson, pastor of the
church officiating. He was as
sisted by Rev. H. P. Bell of
Atlanta.
Mrs. Deadwyler was born in
Mansfield. She made her home
in Elberton for a number of
years but after the death of her
husband she had made her
home in Athens and Mansfield.
She was a faithful member of
the Baptist Church in Elber
ton.
Surviving are a brother, I. E.
Herring, Carrollton; two sis
ters, Mrs. G. C. Davis, Mans
field; Mrs. W. S. Speer, Boga
lusa, Louisiana and several
nieces and nephews.
Interment was in Elberton
Cemetery with J. C. Harwell
and Son Funeral Home in
charge of arrangements.
The NEWS joins the many
friends of this family in extend
ing deepest sympathy to them
in their sorrow.
— —.
Newton. Officials of the Chap
ter are especially eager for
representatives from these two
counties attend the Annual
Meeting so an educational pro
gram can be planned for the
remainder of the year.
As of May 5 th, Walton
County led in amount for the
Northeast Chapter with $2,047.
Mrs. Mahlon Edwards was
chairman
This Paper Is Covington’s
Index To Civic PRIDE and
PROSPERITY
Volleyball
Standings
Team W L
Rotary 3 0
Oxford Lions 3 0
Kiwanis Club 1 2
Jaycees 0 3
Covington Lions 0 3
Schedule Tuesday, May 20th
at Emory at Oxford gym: Ox
ford Lions vs Rotary at 8 P.M.
Kiwanis vs Covington Lions
8:30 P. M. Jaycees vs Covington
Lions 9:00 P. M.
Mrs. Alpha Moss
Funeral Held
In Rockdale
Funeral services for Mrs. Al
pha Moss of Route 1, Oxford,
were held Wednesday, May 7,
at Bethel Christian Church in
Rockdale County with Rev.
Carlton Knight, pastor of Mt.
Tabor Methodist Church and
Rev. Charles Shaw officiating.
Mrs. Moss, 90, was born in
Newton County and died Tues
day after a short illness.
Surviving are three sons, Al
va Lee Moss, Lawrenceville;
Iverson Moss, Turner Moss,
Oxford; three daughters, Mrs.
Della Chandler, Conyers; Mrs.
Vera McCart, Jackson; Mrs.
Lena Martin, Oxford; one
brother, Pharoh Leach, Star
rsville; 20 grandchildren and
29 great-grandchildren.
J. C. Harwell and Son Fu
neral Home were in charge of
arrangements with interment
in Bethel Cemetery near Mil
stead.
The NEWS joins the many
friends in extending deepest
sympathy to the members of
the bereaved family.
Garland Byrd Speaker At
Mansfield Lions Meeting
“Expansion of industry in
rural areas and better manage
ment of state government are
necessary if Georgia’s progress
is to continue,” Garland T. Byrd
of Reynolds said in a speech at
Mansfield Monday evening.
Byrd, an unannounced can
didate for lieutenant governor,
spoke to the Mansfield Lions
Club.
The Taylor County farmer,
lawyer, and businessman is ex
pected to announce his candi
dacy later this month.
Byrd cited Georgia’s indus
trial progress, but said a broad
er base for our economy is
needed. He said industrial ex
pansion is an urgent need in
the rural areas, to bring better
balance between industry and
agriculture, and to aid farmers.
The former state represen
tative called for better legisla
tive control over state spend
ing and use of modern fiscal
principles in management of
state government
Byrd said there should be
more professional study of fis
cal and manpower needs of the
various departments of state
NUMBER
Bell Telephone
Announces 14
Fellowships
Bell Telephone Laboratories,
research and development or
ganization of the Bell System,
announced this week the names
of 14 nationwide winners of its
1958-1959 university graduate
fellowships. Outstanding stu
dents working toward Doctor of
Philosophy degrees in science
relating to communications
were selected for the annual
awards.
Each Bel! Laboratories Grad
uate Fellowship carries a grant
$2,000 to the recipient and an
additional $2,000 to cover tui
tion fees and other costs at the
college he has selected for his
doctoral work.
The recipients of the fellow
ships will do their advanced
graduate studies at 13 univer
sities across the nation. The win
ners were selected by a com
mittee of distinguished scient
ists and engineers at Bell La
boratories.
Physics students predomi
nate with seven winners among
the group. Another three are
electrical engineers, two are
physical chemists, and two will
study mathematics.
During the three years in
which fellowships have been
granted by Bell Laboratories, a
total of 39 outstanding college
graduates have received the
grants. A total of 49 fellow
ships have been awarded; ten
individuals have been named
twice.
Six winners are being honor
ed a second time this year with
the fellowships.
i Ram Sale
Al Macon
On May 17
A statewide sale of purebred
rams, all born and raised In
Georgia, will be held at the
Macon fair ground* on May
17.
All rams offered will be
screened and judged just prior
to the sale which will begin at
1 p.m. A total of 109 rams —
36 Suffolks, five Montadale.
and 68 Hampshires — will be
up for sale.
Jacob White, sheep special
ist for the Agricultural Ex
tension Service, University of
Georgia College of Agricul
ture, said today that the Ma
con ram sale should be an ex
cellent opportunity for Geor
gia sheep growers to secure
good breeding rams for their
operations. He pointed out that
purebred rams costs only a
little more and are much more
profitable. They produce bet
ter lambs that will carry more
finish at marketing.
Georgia has more than 400
certified tree farmers.
H I i B <•, IBHHI
f
* or
GARLAND BYRD
government.
“We can bring about more
economy and savings in state
spending by using modern
methods and principles,” he
said.
Byrd said the state can con
tinue to provide the services
demanded and deserved by its
citizens, if we broaden and con
tinue industrial development,
and if we have economy and ef
ficiency in the management of
the state government.